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Thursday, December 31, 2015

“A
religious refugee fleeing for his life in his own country. A
trickster asking an enemy for safe haven. A horrific visit to a
psychiatric ward overrun by its charges. An unexplained theft from a
biomedical lab. The last known survivor of a mysterious plague. A
wormhole to the most peaceful and secret place in the world. A
detective on the trail of a human trafficker.

The author of each of these books has indicated their intent to schedule these books for a free day for the Kindle versions today on Amazon. Sometimes plans change or mistakes happen, so be sure to verify the price before hitting that "buy me" button.

The Sun That Shines and The Storm That Will Always Pass: Everything Could Be So Simple by Derek Warmington

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

As
an actor, Danny Belson has played many criminal types—he has “that
look.” When he falls foul of the law, he finds himself locked up in
the same prison where only six months ago he taught an acting
workshop. Danny's life is turned Inside
Out.

Author:

“As a
struggling actor, the author appeared on such shows as Mash,
WKRP in Cincinnati, and General Hospital. Back in the mid-seventies
he graduated from the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts
and had an opportunity to teach an experimental acting workshop to
inmates at a Federal prison.”

Appraisal:

The
first part of this story revolves around Danny’s life as a
struggling actor. The auditions, the casting agents, the parties, and
the networking were fascinating to me. Clearly the author has
firsthand knowledge of the situations he puts his main character in
and the realism came across loud and clear and made for a compelling
read.

The
second part of the story focuses on Danny’s life after he’s
incarcerated. This, for me, was less enjoyable. Partly because of the
writing quality—too many characters, and a point of view that
slipped around enough to cause confusion—and partly because the
plot became so chaotic at times I was pulled out of the story.

I
understand this is the author’s first novel, and taking that into
account, it’s a solid piece with an unusual storyline.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

“Nessa
Donnelly never expected to see her estranged and eccentric father
again, but a phone call summons her back to her hometown and to the
hospital in which the elder Donnelly lies in a comatose state for
which his doctors have no explanation. Bit by bit, long-buried family
secrets emerge, and Nessa begins to realize that those secrets were
kept hidden from her for a reason.

She
also realizes that there is something in the woods behind her
father’s house that he never told her about, something that can’t
be explained. And she is also not as alone in his house as she
thought she was…”

Author:

“C.
S. Feldman loves all things fantasy related and writes both novels
and screenplays. Stop by and say hi on Facebook” Also check outher website for an upcoming release.

Appraisal:

This
fantasy novella seems to be Ms. Feldman’s debut. I found this tale
enthralling and well written. If you are not familiar with Fey folk
this is an excellent introduction to them. I was a bit puzzled about
Nessa in the beginning. She’s aloof and seems uncaring, but as the
story unfolds one begins to understand why she is the way she is.
Nessa’s story is unique and as it unfolds she is presented with a
mystery that must be solved rather quickly to save herself as well as
her sick father. The dynamics of the relationships in this story is
what brings the story full circle. The fact that there was a majestic
cock in the story was a bonus for me.

This
is a quick story with some important lessons about looking at life or
situations from different points of view to understand and see the
full picture. The Fey puts an interesting spin on the whole story. I
hope to see more stories like this from Ms Feldman in the future.

Monday, December 28, 2015

In the
great television series Castle, character Teddy Farrow in the
episode “Inventing the Girl” (third episode, second season)
declares that “fashion is what separates us from animals.” He
goes on to compare fashion to civilization. Without the delivery and
context, it loses a lot of power. If you’re curious, watch the
episode. It’s worth your time.

In the
hands of another actor, and if it had been written by another writer,
they both might have been tempted to use those lines as proof of a
fashion designer’s myopic vision of the world and aggrandizement of
what is, compared to murder and suffering, a trivial pursuit.
Instead, at least to me, it resonated very deeply. It tells a truth
about humanity that parades before our eyes every day, though we
seldom notice it for what it is except perhaps to mock it when it
trips on a catwalk.

Writers
rather famously write in pajamas, as they work at home and there
seems to be little reason to dress up unless they plan to venture to
the grocery store or set aside an hour or two at a fitness club. If
they dress differently than when they write at home, that is an
admission that social rules matter. Or, if they do show up in
pajamas, slippers and a robe, it’s an admission that they don’t
care. Or maybe they’re depressed. In an uncaring, gray world, where
it’s an effort to brush your teeth, to get out of bed, to keep
breathing, changing clothes to suit a social sensibility that doesn’t
serve you and may even seem to actively destroy you makes no sense
whatsoever.

Perhaps,
then, dressing up would be a sign that things are looking up. Or
maybe dressing up is that person fighting the good fight against the
depression that’s destroying their will to live and be a part of
the world. Even if dressing up isn’t that big of an effort, there
are both conscious and unconscious elements to what we choose to
wear.

Just
as dressing up can be something more than practical protection
against sun, freezing or windburn, dressing down can be an act of
defiance. As much vitriol as sagging attracts, it’s also a symbol
of cultural freedom. The cavaliers with their fancy collars laid down
across their coats and vests shocked society by showing their necks
and refusing to starch the fabric to the point that it stood up to
follow a specific form. They embraced controlled chaos, making beauty
from a riot of colors and reshaping garments to flow with the human
body instead of forcing it into a sometimes bizarre (though often
exquisite) collection of geometric shapes. Oh those cavaliers with
their notions of free expression, scientific inquiry, never mind
their conflicting religious views! Shocking indeed.

Yet
today we look at their 17th century portraits and see them
as poised, flowery and perhaps a bit stuffy.

They
were the saggers of their age, full of defiance and rich with
cultural power. Meanwhile the Puritans, who shared the streets with
the Cavaliers, also defined themselves with fashion. They wore drab
colors as a symbol of their moral superiority.

Yes,
fashion matters. It matters personally, socially, and culturally. It
doesn’t just matter to the waiter trying to seat people at a fancy
restaurant. It matters to the person being seated. Do they fit in? Do
they want to fit in? Is their status such that they could be seated
at a black tie restaurant in jeans and a dirty t-shirt? Would they do
it to prove that they could, or because they didn’t care, or
because they actively hated those who took offense at them and wanted
to spit in their beholders’ eyes? Or perhaps some famous people
make an effort because they don’t want to flaunt their power, or
disrespect the public that has given them their wealth, or fear their
fame might be transient or taken away from them if they misbehave.

Then
there’s the dress up. It’s not just for Halloween. The right
clothes, the right shoes, the right makeup can help boost floundering
confidence. It might open doors otherwise shut to us, and prove that
we’re willing to go out of our way to be a part of a community or
workplace. Clothes can also make us invisible, if we choose. We can
dress up to blend in, though we might secretly long to wear some
flamboyant concoction that reminds us of a carnival, or something
that would fit with this excerpt from the brilliant poem by Jenny
Joseph:

When
I am an old woman I shall wear purpleWith a red hat which doesn’t
go, and doesn’t suit me.And I shall spend my pension on brandy
and summer glovesAnd satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for
butter.

Women
who dress up to go out sometimes complain that men suddenly feel free
to ogle and make comments or even proposition them. Some men counter
with, “well, why did you dress up, then?” That’s a disingenuous
question at best, because although it’s implied there isn’t just
one answer. Women dress up to impress their dates, or to feel good
about themselves, or as a power play to ‘punk out’ or dominate
over other women in their group by appearing more desirable. They,
therefore, may not necessarily be dressing up to encourage every man
who notices them to flirt or drool over them. Any notice outside
their intended target group may just be a side effect of their true
intention, and is often considered a bother rather than a win. The
context matters. The clothing may have layers of meaning as well as
fabric, but it’s not that complicated. Those that pay attention to
the roles played by fashion understand and can function in more
social situations than those who don’t observe and practice.

Fashion
isn’t just practical, artful, and socially expressive. It can be
magical.

In
Impro by Keith Johnstone, the author goes on at length about
how masks and costumes can change not only how we’re perceived, but
how we perceive ourselves. Clothing can change how we feel, what we
think we know, even who we are.

So how
could I stop myself from making masks, and clothes, and costumes so
important to my characters that it really did matter whether a
jester’s makeup was smudged or if his hat matched his mask or if he
had time to shave twice a day to maintain the illusion of youth? How
could I resist turning clothes and masks into a form of magic?

The
answer is, I couldn’t.

Get your copy of Asylum, the anthology of short fiction which includes works by E.M. Prazeman and others from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

You might also be interested in one of E.M. Prazeman's books. Series start Masks would be the logical place to start. Available from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

From
an impoverished Edinburgh childhood, where Dad tapped the electricity
supply from the street lamp outside their Pilton home to provide heat
for the ten kids, to breaking into the altogether brighter lights of
the advertising world, Jim Divine has seen off many a storm. His
hilarious autobiographical novel recounts the highs and lows of a
life spent searching for answers to the big questions: Will I be
playing for Hibs on Saturday? Was that Joanna Lumley I spotted down
Leith Walk? And just how the hell did I manage to avoid killing those
three people?

Author:

James Dean Divine began writing his debut, The Lost Tornado, in 2009. One of nine siblings growing up in one of Edinburgh's less affluent areas gave Jim many stories to tell.

Jim always wanted to play for Hibernian FC and is now Creative Director at a marketing and advertising agency in Leith. He's been married to fellow athlete and former Scottish champion Trish since 1988.

Although
I’m a people watcher autobiographies aren’t usually my thing. But
then again The Lost
Tornado isn’t your
average self-assessment, either. The author grew up in a busy
household and with a single minded ambition – to play football for
his local team. The sport and Divine’s love for it cuts through the
whole story. The trouble is Jim is up against it, given his
background.

However,
it is this background that gives The
Lost Tornado its unique
perspective. This novel is as much humour as it is autobiography, the
ability to laugh through even the toughest of times, to make the best
of the worst with a smile on your face. The hardest aspect of an
autobiography is communicating this all in a way that first draws in
then keeps them engaged. It’s tough, but no problems here for the
author. It’s a difficult book to put down.

The
author’s voice shines through loud and clear, he pulls no punches
when describing his hardships and the local language in all its
forms. This may put some people off, but for me it added depth and
colour. Same with the characters that are all superbly drawn, three
dimensional people that talk loud and clear in your head through the
narrative.

Lastly
there’s the environment itself. Lots of novels are set in Edinburgh
(largely started by Ian Rankin, of course) but Divine shows another
side of the city not seen elsewhere.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

“Mormon
missionary/onetime hedonist Kenny Feller has realized that God isn’t
about to give him an ounce of the miracle power he needs to succeed
on his mission—as promised. What’s more, he’s concluded that,
frankly, people aren’t worth the trouble. Then his new junior
companion shows up—the wisecracking Jared Baserman—and
immediately starts hearing heavenly voices and seeing fantastic
visions. For Kenny, it is immediately clear that God has sent Jared
to propel him into Mormon Manhood.

But
Kenny’s not the only person who takes note. Interests both virtuous
and malevolent cozy up to Kenny and Jared, eager to make use of
Jared’s gifting. At first, Kenny takes this as a sign that his
perceptions of Jared are spot on. God is using Jared.

But
something’s not quite right.

Specifically,
why in the hell would God choose someone as slope-shouldered as
Jared—someone so unreligious, so strange—to be a channel for His
supernatural power? He doesn’t even read the Book of Mormon. Plus
he smells funny. As their tracting grows fruitless and Jared’s
messages grow more bizarre, Kenny begins to wonder: Is Jared really
touched by God?

And,
if so, does God know what He’s doing?

A
Danger to God Himself is
a scathing takedown of religious certainty, a life-affirming tale set
in 1970s Washington state—equal parts spiritual road map and
coming-of-age tale.”

Author:

A
fulltime writer his entire adult life, newspaperman John Draper
always wanted to write a novel. But between work and family
obligations (he has three kids), he was half a century old before he
was able to find the time to start. A resident of Washington state,
this is Draper's first novel.

Sometimes
when I sit down to write a review I have multiple directions or
slants to go with my write-up. It's paralyzing, not knowing where to
start. This is one of those times. As with anything too complicated
to wrap your mind around at once, the best approach is to break it
into pieces. So that's what I'll do here, starting with a focus on
the basics of the characters and the story, moving into the religious
aspects, and finishing off with my ruminations on the kind of reader
who I think would be the most likely to enjoy A
Danger to God Himself. I
expect a lot of words will be spilled.

The
main characters are great. Kenny, a young adult (which we all know is
still just a kid) who does what's expected of him, even if maybe he'd
rather not. He's a type we've probably all seen, even if the
situation is different. His missionary companion, Jared, is a strange
duck, keeping the reader off balance, not sure what to make of him.
In the beginning, he provides comic relief, but he also drives much
of the story.

The secondary characters are all well formed as well,
each helping move the story forward. I especially liked Jared's dad
and sister who were integral to the story and to gaining a complete
understanding of Jared. Some of the characters are caricatures, not
in the sense that they aren't well formed or are flat. More in that
they may seem just a touch over the top, which is fitting for a story
that is satirical.

The
story is satirical in a couple ways. One is that it satirizes
religion, especially those who take what many consider to be myths
containing lessons to help in living a good life and interpret them
too literally. But on another level, Jared and everything that
happens to him is a satire of Joseph Smith and the founding of the
Mormon church.

Which
is a segue into the religious part. Those not familiar with Mormonism
might wonder how much of the story is realistic. The answer is that
while satirical, nothing here is out of the realm of possibility. In
fact, Mormonism has a long history of spawning splinter groups that
go way beyond the mainstream church. Even within the mainstream, the
culture rewards followers and extremism while discouraging critical
thinking or questioning of any kind.

That
last part is a clue of who this book isn't for. It's doubtful a
devout Mormon has read this far unless it is one of my still-faithful
sisters, wondering how far I've gone this time. This isn't the book
for them. However, anyone without a problem with taking a critical
look at religion, regardless of their personal beliefs, will find
much to like. I'll end this with a quote from the book. If you read
this and give a knowing nod, it is especially for you.

Mormonism
isn’t just a religion. It’s a way of being. Like alcoholism, I
guess. Alcoholics say they never stop being alcoholics, don’t they?
They’re always recovering alcoholics. Same thing with Mormonism.
It’s a culture. If you’re born a Mormon, you’re always a
Mormon—more so if you were actually raised in the church.

Friday, December 25, 2015

We're taking a day off. You should too. Enjoy your family and if Santa happened to bring you a brand new Kindle, poke around the site and bookmark us. You might consider clicking on the link at the top that says "2015 Readers' Choice Awards" or the links for past year's awards part way down the right side as a guide to some of the best books we've reviewed over the last several years. That should start filling up that new Kindle or help you burn through your Christmas gift card from Amazon in no time.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

“It
was a routine mission outside the confines of the bio-habitat housing
the first human colony on Mars. At least it was supposed to be
routine. Which is why Dexter Arnold was outside alone despite policy
which dictated a mandatory out-time partner. Routine departed when he
wrecked his rover buggy. That was the least of his problems as the
worst
was
yet to come. As a matter of fact, the worse was coming both fast and
straight at Dexter.”

Author:

From
James Womack’s author page on Amazon: “I'm a deaf person who
likes to write stories. Actually, I prefer telling stories in
American Sign Language (ASL) but not everyone understands it. For me,
storytelling is storytelling so writing stories gives me much
pleasure. My hope is readers get pleasure from what I've written. I'm
not focused on any specific genre so my stories range from science
fiction to religious based stories. I hold a bachelor degree from
Gallaudet University and a Masters degree from California State
University of Northridge. I used to teach Deaf high school students
before teaching college students full time in the last two decades of
my career. I'm married to a really cool woman who was also my
Gallaudet University classmate during my time there. My non-writing
activities include cooking, fishing, playing with my youngest
grandkids, and experimenting with applying computer software to
educational purposes.”

Appraisal:

This
novelette is tense, engaging, and fast paced. Mr. Womack does an
excellent job describing the terrain on his version of Mars surface,
the bio-habitat, and outer space. As he introduces us to the
characters, it’s easy to get a feel for their personalities and the
comradery that has developed between the diverse crew members. Mr.
Womack inserted a little subtle humor to break the tension, which was
well placed and realistic.

I
think any reader would enjoy this science fiction. My preferred genre
is not Sci-Fi but I enjoyed this story. The scenario is futuristic
and realistic. The crew members are believable and I felt their
despair deeply. However, I can’t even imagine how it would actually
feel to have to watch a tragedy unfold in front of my own eyes and
not be able to do anything to help or keep it from happening.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

“Busker's
Holiday is the story of McKay Chernoff, a Columbia University grad
student with a harmonica in his pocket and a blues band in his
background. Desolate and despairing after a disastrous romantic
breakup, McKay decides to fly off to Paris and reinvent himself as a
street performer.

What
follows is an epic summer voyage into the busking life, propelled by
the mad exploits of Billy Lee Grant, a fearless young guitar shredder
whose Memphis-to-Mississippi pedigree and Dylanesque surrealism make
him, when he explodes into view, precisely the partner McKay has been
yearning for.”

Author:

“An
associate professor of English and Southern Studies at the University
of Mississippi in Oxford, Adam Gussow is also a professional blues
harmonica player and teacher.” This appears to be Gussow's first
work of fiction. He has written at least three works of non-fiction.

Appraisal:

In the
beginning, I wasn't sure about McKay and (even more so) his classmate
Paul who he befriended. They seemed a bit too pretentious. But as I
shared in their European adventures, I slowly came around. Busker's
Holiday read like a
fictional version of a slightly over-the-top travel memoir with a lot
of self-discovery for the main character. Kind of a coming-of-age for
a twenty-something, yet with the writing style you'd expect from
literary fiction. Not a combination I've seen before or would have
ever dreamed might exist.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

This is the second half of a doubleshot review. If you missed it, check out BigAl's take on the same book from this morning.

Genre:
Women’s Fiction/Psychological/Romance

Description:

“Christina
Davenport, waitressing to pay the bills, has given up on becoming a
magician—until she meets the mesmerizing Reynaldo the Magnificent.
He offers her a job as his assistant in his magic and juggling show.
She takes it, hoping she can revive her dream without cutting his
giant ego in half.

Devon
Park, a surgical resident escaping his own problems, visits the
street performers in downtown Boston. But the young doctor worries
that the bruises beneath Christina’s makeup go deeper than the
training accident she professes.

Suspecting
the doctor’s interest is more than clinical, the mercurial magician
attempts to tighten his grip on Christina. Now she needs to decide—is
the opportunity Reynaldo offers worth the price of admission?”

Author:

“Laurie
Boris is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and former graphic
designer. She has been writing fiction for over twenty-five years and
is the award-winning author of five novels: The
Joke's on Me, Drawing Breath, Don't Tell Anyone, Sliding Past
Vertical, and Playing Charlie Cool.
When not hanging out with the universe of imaginary people in her
head, she enjoys baseball, cooking, reading, and helping aspiring
novelists as a contributing writer and editor for
Indies Unlimited. She lives in New York's lovely Hudson Valley.”

What a
fascinating character study. Christina is a strong personality, she’s
smart, compassionate, and a part of her is broken from a devastating
event in her past. In her quest to confront and overcome her broken
pieces she takes up with a charming magician, Reynaldo the
Magnificent, who isn’t as charming as he presents himself. Dr.
Devon Park is facing a spiritual crisis of his own. His past was
nothing like I would have imagined and set me back to consider the
consequences and how they were affecting his present and future. This
was not a light read for me, the emotional turmoil felt real.

The
secondary characters are fully developed and vital to keep Christina
balanced. I enjoyed each of them. They were realistic and added
support in a believable way. Devon’s Asian background added a level
of realism and responsibility, which was fitting, and I fully
appreciated his dilemma.

This
character driven plot moved at a realistic speed as events presented
themselves for readers to consider how they might have handled each
situation. Then turn their support fully to Christina for the best
possible outcome. She handles it with class and determination. I
thoroughly enjoyed her poignant journey as I cheered her on. Dr.
Devon was a heart-throb. I really enjoyed his part in the book.
Reynaldo the Magnificent was a unique and interesting character. I
think my favorite character in this story was the old man, Herbert,
who owned the magic shop.

This is the first half of a doubleshot review. Check back late this afternoon for the second half where ?wazithinkin will weigh in with her thoughts.

Genre:
Women's Fiction/Psychological Thriller

Description:

“Christina
Davenport, waitressing to pay the bills, has given up on becoming a
magician—until she meets the mesmerizing Reynaldo the Magnificent.
He offers her a job as his assistant in his magic and juggling show.
She takes it, hoping she can revive her dream without cutting his
giant ego in half.

Devon
Park, a surgical resident escaping his own problems, visits the
street performers in downtown Boston. But the young doctor worries
that the bruises beneath Christina’s makeup go deeper than the
training accident she professes.

Suspecting
the doctor’s interest is more than clinical, the mercurial magician
attempts to tighten his grip on Christina. Now she needs to decide—is
the opportunity Reynaldo offers worth the price of admission?”

Author:

A
freelance copyeditor and regular contributor at Indies Unlimited,
Laurie Boris is the author of six novels (plus this one makes seven)
and a short story collection. Her book Sliding
Past Vertical was the
winner in the Contemporary Fiction category of BigAl’s Books and
Pals 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards.

On the
surface A Sudden Gust of
Gravity is a version of
the age-old dilemma of a woman with two men who want her and she
can't decide. Like many common story plots, they've been done so
often because they resonate with the readers. It is the kind of story
that will never go out of style. However, this story is so much more
than that.

The
woman, Christina, has priorities that rank higher than finding or
choosing a man. She has to deal with the past and also figure out how
she's going to deal with her future, or at least how to get to the
future she wants. One of the men has the same problems, dealing with
a problematic past while grappling with what he wants his future to
be. Throw in the other guy who is the apparent answer to at least one
of Christina’s problems, throw in family and friends pushing and
pulling the characters in different directions, and you're left with
a tumultuous stew of a story with no idea where it’s headed.

This
is a story that has appeal to women's fiction readers, but enough of
an edge that thriller readers, especially those who like
psychological thrillers, should find more than enough to keep the
pages turning.

Monday, December 21, 2015

“Urban
sprawl has expanded the South Florida populace right up to the
boundaries of the Everglades, one of the most unique and forbidding
wildlife refuges on Earth. Now there's a savage new predator loose
out there, one that is motivated by hunger, and does not discriminate
between species when hunting for prey. It lurks within easy striking
distance of homes, schools, and parks and is nearly as fearsome as
the sinister forces responsible for its being there.”

Author:

“James
Freeman hails from a small town near the Great Smoky Mountains in
Western North Carolina. Growing up, James was an avid reader and by
second grade was going through his grandparent's encyclopedias
between monthly issues of National
Geographic and
Reader's Digest.

After
working as a musician, jet aircraft maintenance technician, and
various roles within the broadcast television industry, James began
writing in earnest. He has self-published a novella, Wise
Man,
and a novel, Boca
Raton,
and is currently at work on a new novel.”

Appraisal:

The
story starts with some interesting background on the history and
geography of South Florida near Boca Raton—hence the title. Having
traveled in that area on a number of occasions, I enjoyed how the
author explained the population growth around the Everglades.

However,
the novel itself didn’t capture my interest, in part because it is
almost exclusively narrated, often from an omniscient point of view.
This made the characters two dimensional and distant. In fact Frank,
a driving instructor who is the main character through the first part
of the novel, gets relegated to a supporting role once we meet Nate
who spends his life obsessing about conspiracy theories.

Once
the “Truther” Nate appears, the story revolves around him as he
discusses some of the more popular American conspiracy theories (911,
oil barons, the one percent etc.). This information is delivered
through pages of flat dialogue which is received by the other
characters with gasps of wonder and no opposing viewpoint.

The
plot is scattered and uneven with potential dangers introduced for no
apparent reason because they just disappear never to be mentioned
again.

Black
helicopters, black SUVs, and a stereotypical military “higher up”
are assumed to be controlling multiple conspiracies, most of which
fail to materialize or have any direct connection to the plot.

Click
on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or
Smashwords store

Author:

Aria Kane
is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. She lives in sunny Florida with her fifty pound mutt who thinks he is a Chihuahua. This is her
first book. Check out her site for a little bit of insight into this new Indie
author, this made me laugh. “I’m a romance author, but this blog is about my
life as a sex-positive, slightly-geeky, gender-role-despising,
equal-rights-defending, independent city girl.”

Description:

When Jenna’s
job as an engineer causes her to miss the last scheduled passenger flight home
from the mining colony on Titan, she
has to become creative to get home to Earth before Christmas. She learns that sometimes
private cargo pilots will take on passengers, for the right price.

There is one small cargo ship, piloted by Grayson, that is
getting ready to make the three day trip, but he doesn’t want any passengers. Jenna
convinces Grayson to allow her aboard his ship so she can be home with her
sisters on Christmas. When she learns what he is transporting is extremely
dangerous and illegal she must decide whether to help him or turn him in to the
authorities.

Appraisal:

This
novelette is a quick, light, enjoyable read. Jenna is a problem solver and I
liked her character as well as Grayson’s. Her biggest problem at first is being
on such a small cargo ship with a gorgeous pilot. Heat rises quickly and is
sated nicely. Grayson is a nice guy who is stuck between a rock and a hard
spot. As we learn his story, it is easy to sympathize with his moral dilemma. The
story is told with plenty of dialogue; the plot is tight and flows well. Most
of the story takes place on the cargo ship between the two main characters and
neither is afraid to get their hands dirty in one way or another. I enjoyed the
escape into their lives and I found the ending extremely satisfying.

FYI:

This book contains adult situations that may not be suitable
of young adults.

A fun
collection of longer short stories (the longest actually novelette length) with
very little in common except they’re all good and the holiday season has some
role in each. Some have a supernatural or paranormal element. Some have
characters from one of the author’s novels, although I never felt I needed
backstory about those characters to understand or enjoy the story.

I
considered singling out stories that stood out as especially good or different
than the others and realized I couldn’t. Genres run the gambit from a cozy
mystery (Helen Smith’s Real Elves,
featuring characters from her Emily Castles series) to what might be described
as a psychological thriller in Barbra Annino’s The Perfect Gift. There are a couple stories where Santa Claus
needs some help (Krampus Klaus by
Christiana Miller and J.R. Rain’s The
Santa Call). The possibility of budding romance on Chinese New Year in
Heather Massey’s Fortune Cat’s Visit
has a lesson about giving that, while the story wasn’t about Christmas, might have
captured the spirit of the season best of all.

FYI:

Spelling
conventions vary and appear to be dependent on the residence of the author.

Disclaimer:

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